Epidural Headaches - General Health Message Board

dutchyswife · 06-02-2007, 02:08 PM

I'm having surgery in a week and am deciding between general and spinal anesthesia. There's pros and cons to both but I have just heard about spinal headaches after surgery. Has anyone heard of this? Has anyone experienced such a thing and, if so, were you able to do anything about it?

butrfligirl28 · 06-02-2007, 05:21 PM

I just had surgery and used an epidural for pain control after surgery. I had an in-depth abdominal surgery. It depends on how severe your operation is. If you are having a minor procedure and your pain can be controlled by IV and/or oral pain meds (ask for a PCA pump if this is the case), then I would skip it. If not, go for the epidural.

I had experienced a spinal headache and it was one of the worst experiences in my life. I pain is out of this world, and you must lay flat all the time to endure it. I developed chemical meningitis on top of that (from the meds used in the spinal space). I was in agony and bed bound for two weeks.

I was very scared to have anyone touch my spine again, but my surgery was difficult and I didn't want issues with pain control. I could not believe how much the epidural helped! For the first time in my life, I woke up after surgery, and the only thing that really bothered me was the catheter! It was amazing.

The thing about spinal headaches, is they are most often caused by the patient moving soon after the procedure, and the hole not forming a clot. (They actually had me in PT after mine......idiots!) In your case, and mine, I was already on the operating table when they did the epidural, then layed flat right after for the duration of the operation. Therefore, the risk of a spinal headache in this situation is minimal, and the pain control I received was so great, that I was unprepared for the pain when the epidural was removed. I was shocked how well it helped!

I did alot of research to help me decide. Go to a main search engine and type in epidural anesthiesia. You will find alot of information. I wish you all the best, and hope this helps!

Amanda

butrfligirl28 · 06-02-2007, 05:23 PM

By the way, I also had general anesthiesia because I didn't want to be awake. Just wanted you to be aware that you can have both.

Fillin · 06-02-2007, 05:26 PM

Hi Dutchys,
I am a 50 yr old female who has had migraines all her life. When I had my children I had them all by C section and had the choice of having an epidural or a spinal for my anesthetics. I always (3 times) chose the epidural because I had never heard of one causing a headache and knew about the spinal headaches you can get from a spinal anesthetic. I have also had general anesthesia a number of times and never got a headache. However, if I had to choose and didn't have to be awake for the surgery the way I did with my birth experiences, I would choose the general because the epidural is a little more painful to have.

Lisa

MK12 · 06-02-2007, 06:48 PM

jsut to add to the other posts if you get a spinal headace there is a 20 min fix

its called a blood patch they put an iv in and remove as much blood as they need to fill up the epidural space because as mentioned above a spinal headaceh is unequal pressure/cs fluid adn filling the space makes the headace go away liek magic

i had a lumbar puncture adn didnt get the joy of staying at the hosiptal long enough to have a clot form so i endedup with a slow fluid leak and wne tin for a blood patch 4 days later

that said i also have small kids that needed looking after with no help so i know htat contibuted

lol so for surgery you should be fine as you will have no choice but to stay in bed

the spianl headache is a lumbar puncture side effect mostly

best fo luck with your outcome
MK